Just A Family Gift
by Red-Like-Lithium
Summary: Part of my "Inside the Sand" collection. May 15th - it's Kankurou's birthday! And naturally, his brother and sister take it into their own hands in order to make it a little more special.


_A/N: May 15th - Suna no Kankurou's Date of Birth._

_Today we celebrate his badassery and purple face paint and epic character in it's own and his subtle derp-y-ness when he is home living a normal life with his bro and sister. He's an amazing character and I figured I'd write a little something for him._

_Sorry for any typos I happened to miss! Was in a slight rush._

_Kudos to _Blackwing Fray the Huntress _for helping with this. She's also a die hard fan of these guys, especially Kankurou._

* * *

**Just A Family Gift**

* * *

"I have no idea what to do."

Gaara blinked over at her in an almost curious fashion. They were in the kitchen while he sipped on some coffee and Temari cooked up a quick dinner for them. She paused, however, putting a finger to her chin thoughtfully. Her eyes had softened considerably, though her brow was creased in deep consideration. She tapped her spatula absentmindedly against the stove handle.

Her youngest brother glanced out the window, taking in the details of the starry night sky through the open blinds. Suna had the most beautiful evenings in his opinion. "About what?"

"You should know what," Temari scowled, chiding him. "Kankurou's birthday is tomorrow."

"And you're asking _me_ what we should do?" Gaara asked slowly, skepticism in his monotone voice.

His sister shrugged, stirring the pot once again. "Why not? You and him are pretty close."

"Not any closer than you," he pointed out, having a drink of the caffeinated beverage. He meant it, too. The three of them were on equal levels when it came to knowing each other. It was how their family worked. They tried to be close - hell, didn't even have to try, they just _were_. The three of them were all there was anymore. Well, and Baki. But that guy liked to pretend he didn't know the dorks a lot.

Gaara squinted his black-ringed eyes in an attempt to concentrate, but his sister was making things rather difficult as she began listing off things their brother liked. "Puppets...poison...sharp things..."

"Chocolate ice cream," the Kazekage interrupted, adding his two cents.

"Ooh, yes, that!" Temari grinned, having expanded her list a little more. "Hmm...when he's feeling overwhelmed, he coops himself up in his room and fiddles around with his weapons."

Gaara bit back an _And how the hell does that help us?_ and instead swallowed more of his tea to drown the words. He knew that the _Kunoichi_ was just trying to jog her memory for anything Kankurou may have hinted at. Thinking about it now, the former _Jinchuuriki_ realized just how difficult it always was to shop for his escort. Temari was easy, even if she was a woman; he and Kankurou were always able to think of something. And Gaara himself wasn't all that difficult to buy shit for either._  
_

What made things so complicated with Suna no Kankurou was the fact that everything he ever wished to use, he got himself. If he needed a new part for his puppet, he built it from scratch. If he required a map for a future mission, he studied books to draw one up, or even walked half of the path itself beforehand. He was resourceful. Yes, Kankurou whined and asked for useless stuff, but it was always in a jokingly matter. Never once had the middle child begged for an object of any sort that he could just get himself.

Hence why birthdays with this man were so _troublesome_.

Gaara blinked slowly, wondering where that description had come from. Perhaps Shikamaru was hanging around too often. He'd have to do something about that.

"Shark Week...cats..." Temari was apparently still naming off things while he'd zoned out. "Oh, and that comic book! Umm...Bat-thing- Batman!"

And then it hit him.

"Temari," Gaara began in a low tone, "I might have an idea."

.

.

"Morning~"

They looked up as Kankurou stepped into the room, yawning as he loaded the toaster with two slices of bread. His headpiece was slipping to the side and his movements were stiff, the result of having waken up only minutes before. He was smiling, though, like he always did.

"You're in a good mood today," Temari smirked, strapping her sandals on for the day. "Anything special happening?"

The puppeteer frowned, knitting his eyebrows. After a moment of quiet, he lifted his shoulders in defeat. "Nope." He briskly fixed the dark cover settled on his brown hair and stretched a bit, grabbing the toast as it popped up ready. He half-waved as he headed for the exit. "See you guys later."

His siblings watched him go, not saying a word as the door shut.

"That's not normal," Temari whispered harshly. "People are usually at least a _little_ excited."

Gaara grimaced nearly undetectably. "None of us make a big deal out of the dates we were born," he said flatly. "Although...out of the three of us, Kankurou would be the expected one to act even vaguely interested."

"That's just how he is," she sighed heavily, getting to her feet. "It's sad, really. But the fact that we don't really see the point in birthdays trails back to that old bastard." She cringed visibly, picturing their father for a second. Good times. "But we'll make this worth it."

He nodded once, clamping on the blue holster vest and preparing for his leave.

.

.

Kankurou groaned, rubbing the back of his neck wearily. The day just hadn't _ended_. But that was life as the Kazekage's bodyguard and being at the rank of _jounin_. He didn't get a break until he was home for dinner and in his bed asleep. And the occasional holiday or mornings where he woke up with the flu that sometimes plagued their country. But those times just sucked.

Sluggishly_,_ he set his scrolls down by the front door, deciding he'd put those away properly when he actually gave a shit. He meandered towards his room, offering a tired but sincere, "Yo" to his brother and sister, who were sitting on the couch watching some program. He would join them soon. Kankurou cocked a brow at them when Temari waved back in a weird fashion and Gaara rolled his eyes.

Instead of asking them why they were so _odd_, he made his way down the hall, dismissing them. Just a normal day with the Sand Siblings again.

The _shinobi_ had already closed the door and kicked away his shoes as he began to peel off his black uniform. As he was pulling on a white t-shirt, he got the sudden feeling that he wasn't _alone_.

As the dressing was removed from his line of vision and fully covered his top half, Kankurou slowly spun on his heel to peer around the area. His desk, his workshop place, his bed-

-a pair of beady eyes glaring back at him.

In all honestly, he almost screamed in a very masculine way. Because he was a man. Not a little girl. But still, he was about ready to smash something since that _thing _had completely taken him off guard.

They proceeded to stare at one another intently, as if sizing each other up. When Kankurou blinked, it licked its eye.

Then he grinned wider than ever before.

.

.

"Remember when we ditched that meeting?"

Temari nodded _very_ disapprovingly and allowed Gaara to continue.

"Well, he wasn't being serious, but he asked if we could get an iguana."

She snapped her fingers, which echoed around the house. "Now I get why you suggested that. Kankurou _has_ always had a soft spot for reptiles, I guess. Nice thinking."

Just as she finished her sentence, the sound of excited footsteps were heard as the middle child flew around the corner, hugging the animal to his chest with a childish smile spread across his painted face. The lizard looked pretty damn bored, even irritated, as it perched carefully in his arms. The creature had an attitude and Gaara already disliked it, but hey, Kankurou was happier than he'd seen him all month.

"I SHALL NAME HIM REX AND I WILL LOVE HIM FOREVER."

"Happy Birthday, _Otouto_," Temari beamed, standing and wrapping her arm around his broad back in a way that only a sister could. Gaara stood in front of Kankurou, offering one of his rare smiles as he dipped his chin, signaling that he meant the same words.

"I actually forgot," Kankurou laughed sheepishly, balancing the iguana on his shoulder, where it proceeded to shoot a vile glare at the Kazekage, who would later secretly give it the finger. But for now, it was the Master of Puppet's glory, so Gaara resisted the physical insult. Kankurou reached out and grasped his male relative's upper arm affectionately, simpering again. "Ha, can't believe you remembered that. Thanks." The last, sincere part was directed to both of his family members.

Temari ruined the moment by ruffling his hair, messing it up nicely.

.

.

_~Finish~_


End file.
